History and Goals

“Regroup. Organize. Strategize. Don’t be a follower. Speak what you feel in your heart. Follow your instinct and if other people are not following you, then be that one to stand up by yourself because eventually, someone is going to stand up with you.”

Erica Garner

The Munich American Peace Committee (MAPC) was formed in 1983, joining the growing West German peace movement’s activities against the armaments race escalation in Europe.

MAPC Membership grew as a result of resistance to foreign (and domestic!) developments, as reflected especially in militarism, unilateralist intervention and the reduction of civil liberties and democratic rights.

We also monitor German and American policies affecting our lives as U.S.-citizens/German residents.

Principal goals

To increase availability of information, largely ignored by the main-stream media, concerning the diverse opinions existing in the U.S. We want to draw attention to the supporters of the American peace movement and its counterparts in Germany and the rest of the world.

To distribute this information through e-mail contacts, media interviews, newspaper articles, public appearances, and monthly Radio Lora programs.

To encourage our compatriots to join us in active participation in political life, to influence our governmental representatives here and in the United States to use peaceful means of settling differences and achieving productive cooperation.

To help disillusioned American soldiers who want to leave the military. We co-operate with the Mennonite-supported Military Counseling Network and other GI support groups. We raise money to support counselors’ work and individual soldiers who need financial help for their legal fees. We give moral support by phone and email to the GIs and their families and help spread the word to GIs, most of whom are not aware of their rights to seek discharge as conscientious objectors.

Activities

Since our inauguration, we have continued to participate in Easter Marches, blockades, demonstrations, and vigils (e.g. at the Munich Consulate) against US involvement in countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan.

We participated with the Munich Coalition of peace groups in weekly vigils against war and are regular active participants in the activities against the so-called Munich Security Conference.

Themes

Our emphasis has included such subjects as: U.S. military intervention, disarmament, conversion, and non-violent resistance.

More recently, MAPC has focused on the worldwide effects of globalization, especially as a result of U.S. foreign policy.

Naturally, our activities increase during times of crisis. Thus we presently deal intensively with the U.S. government’s limitations of basic freedoms, stemming from political misuse (e.g. Patriot Act) of the terrorist destruction of the World Trade Center; the conflict between Israel, Palestine and other Near East states; the intensification of U.S. policies of intervention, covert commando and drone war and indiscriminate assassination, general massive surveillance and espionage.

Organization

MAPC meetings take place bi-monthly to exchange information and ideas and to plan activities.

We often have speakers or a special theme for discussion. We welcome new English-speaking participants!